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Charter School Expansion and Within-District Equity: Confluence or Conflict?

Author

Listed:
  • Bruce D. Baker

    (Department of Educational Theory, Policy and Administration Graduate School of Education Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey New Brunswick)

  • Ken Libby

    (School of Education University of Colorado at Boulder)

  • Kathryn Wiley

    (School of Education University of Colorado at Boulder)

Abstract

This article explores whether two popular policy initiatives are compatible or conflicting strategies for enhancing educational equality in diverse large urban centers. These two initiatives are (1) charter school expansion and (2) improvement of resource equity across urban public school systems through policies often referred to as weighted student funding formulas. In this article, we focus on New York and Houston, two cities where districts have adopted initiatives to improve equity of the distribution of school site funding and have concurrently experienced significant expansion of charter schooling. We find that charter schools have the tendency to amplify student population differences across schools by disability, language, and low income status, and that charter schools’ access to financial resources varies widely. Nevertheless, we find that in very large urban districts like New York City, where charter market share remains small, the overall effects of charters on system-wide inequity remain small.

Suggested Citation

  • Bruce D. Baker & Ken Libby & Kathryn Wiley, 2015. "Charter School Expansion and Within-District Equity: Confluence or Conflict?," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 10(3), pages 423-465, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:edfpol:v:10:y:2015:i:3:p:423-465
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. repec:mpr:mprres:6684 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Helen F. Ladd & Edward B. Fiske, 2008. "Handbook of Research in Education Finance and Policy," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 3(1), pages 149-150, January.
    3. Chambers, Jay G. & Levin, Jesse D. & Shambaugh, Larisa, 2010. "Exploring weighted student formulas as a policy for improving equity for distributing resources to schools: A case study of two California school districts," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 283-300, April.
    4. Gronberg, Timothy J. & Jansen, Dennis W. & Taylor, Lori L., 2012. "The relative efficiency of charter schools: A cost frontier approach," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 302-317.
    5. Ajwad, Mohamed Ihsan, 2006. "Is intrajurisdictional resource allocation equitable?: An analysis of campus-level spending data for Texas elementary schools," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 46(4), pages 552-564, September.
    6. Andrews, Matthew & Duncombe, William & Yinger, John, 2002. "Revisiting economies of size in American education: are we any closer to a consensus?," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(3), pages 245-262, June.
    7. Robin Lake & Brianna Dusseault & Melissa Bowen & Allison Demeritt & Paul Hill, 2010. "The National Study of Charter Management Organization (CMO) Effectiveness: Report on Interim Findings," Mathematica Policy Research Reports f4f3d42aea2c4d7eb36d18bfd, Mathematica Policy Research.
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    Cited by:

    1. Christian Buerger, 2020. "The Influence of Finance Policies on Charter School Supply Decisions in Five States," Public Budgeting & Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(2), pages 44-74, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    policy initiatives; education policy; urban; charter schools; resource equity; public school; weighted student funding formulas; New York; Houston; school districts;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I22 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Educational Finance; Financial Aid
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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